A 26-year-old man has been charged and remanded to Luzira Prison by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) City Hall Court for illegally dumping garbage into a drainage channel during a downpour.
Ronald Katende, a resident of Katwe in Kampala, was caught on camera in a viral video removing garbage from a tuku-tuku (a motorized tricycle) and disposing of it into a drainage system amidst heavy rainfall.
The footage sparked public outrage and prompted a swift response from KCCA. Following a formal complaint by KCCA, Katende was tracked down, arrested, and detained at Kampala Central Police Station, where he spent a night in custody before appearing in court on Tuesday.
Senior grade one magistrate Edgar Karakire charged him with one count of depositing waste in an undesignated place, contrary to Section 97 of the National Environment Act. Katende pleaded guilty to the charge.
However, the prosecution, led by Charles Kutosi, requested additional time to prepare and present the brief facts of the case before a conviction could be entered. If found guilty, Katende faces a maximum penalty of Shs 11 million or imprisonment, as prescribed under the Act.
Despite admitting the charge, Katende pleaded for leniency, telling the court that his wife is currently pregnant and he is her sole provider. His plea, however, did not sway the magistrate, who remanded him until April 15, 2025.
He is expected to be sentenced on that date, provided he maintains his guilty plea after the prosecution outlines the case facts. KCCA executive director Sharifah Buzeki has repeatedly urged city residents to refrain from dumping waste indiscriminately, noting that such actions contribute to the frequent clogging of drainage systems, which in turn exacerbates flooding during rainy seasons.
Buzeki emphasized the importance of maintaining clear drainage channels, stating that wider, unobstructed drains allow for faster stormwater flow and reduce the risk of urban flooding.
She reaffirmed KCCA’s commitment to improving drainage infrastructure across Kampala to combat the city’s persistent flood challenges. Katende’s case comes at a time when recent heavy rains have caused widespread flooding in the city, disrupting traffic, damaging property, and paralyzing business operations.
